Sugar Coated

13

Delaney Linwood

I paced up and down the beach drive still a full city block away from Sugar Coated.

"Just walk down to the shop, Delaney. You can do it. Just walk into the shop. They've invited you. They're expecting you." I was muttering to myself enough that others gave me...well not a wide berth —there were weirder things that people got away within this city— but they were definitely stepping out of my way.

I checked the time on my phone the thousandth time this minute. 7:53 PM. It'll take another five minutes to walk down there. Don't want to be too early. I froze in the metaphorical ditch I was forging in the cement sidewalk. You don't want to be late either.

I turned, pivoting on the spot to walk in the direction of the ice cream parlor. Whether or not I got up the courage to walk right into it or if I was just searching for a closer spot to pace remained to be seen.

You really should just let yourself in. That would be what Rosie would say to you. Reasonable advice the lot of it, but the consideration that they might have locked the doors tightly so customers didn't waltz in after they'd closed was already embarrassing me even though it was only a what-if on the metaphorical horizon.

"Fuck it. We're just going to get close and take a look. Exactly like you've always done every time you let Rosie drag you downtown." Half of me hoped there's still be customers milling about. At least that way the others could take the edge off of being there.

I couldn't ever be that lucky, though.

No one was in the shop. No one save Jackson where he stood wiping down the bar top counter. I don't know what it was, whether it was just plain kismet or some preternatural alpha sense, but he turned my way while I stood awkwardly watching him.

He had lucifer's smile, that hint of smug satisfaction I'd imagined for him whenever he tempted some desperate sinner into the place he called home. The hand wiping the counter spread out on the marble, while the other crooked one finger at me, curling it and beckoning me into the shop.

He only smiled brighter when I hopped to follow the command of it, tempering the feral lines of hunger on his face into something almost boyish.

The 'closed' sign slapped against the glass of the door as it shut behind me.

Jackson looked thrilled at the fact that I'd heeded his call. His smile was out in full force as he watched me approach the counter —approach him. "Hello, Doll." When he leaned across the counter, he could span the length of it, forearms resting near the far edge closest to me.

"Hello, Jackson." The 'hello alpha' sat heavy on my tongue.

"I must say, Doll, this is was the sweetest surprise. I'm glad you accepted our invitation." When Jackson talked his mouth was a distraction.

Something thudded heavily in the backroom, a quick rhythmic sound before the door burst open, Emil plowing through it. "Delaney!"

"Hi, Emil," I gave him a little wave as I took a tentative step back — away from his alpha.

"I think it's about time you called me Em, Delaney." His smile was boyish as he approached, more calmly than he had thrown open the door just seconds ago.

"Hi, Em," I tried again. It was a lame response to his sweet comment, but the why he brightened until I could barely even look at him made all of my nervousness melt away.

He stopped just shy of invading my personal space, his hand reached out to touch the side of my arm, but at the last second he drew back.

They'll try to touch you, Delaney. If you like it...touch them back. Rosie's advice came back to me. It was fumbling and awkward, but I let the instinctual pull drag me toward the flirty omega until the hand that had been quietly resting in the air dropped down onto my hip.

Don't smell Foster on me. Please don't smell Foster on me. If he caught a hint of him on me, at the very least Em didn't seem to make any note of it. Instead, his other hand joined its twin, a mirror on my other hip where they tightened just a little bit until I could feel the tips of Em's fingers dig into the curve of my hip.

It made the breath catch in my throat and threatened to have my eyes rolling back in my head. It wasn't intimate by any standard, but goddamn I love the feel of his hands gripping my hips.

"I'm so happy you finally agreed to our offer, Delaney." His whispered voice was louder than I expected, the line of his cheek taking up the majority of my vision, "We're all so happy, sweetheart."

I couldn't see Jackson, behind the line of Em's profile, but I could feel him watching us as his omega pressed his cheek to my own. It lasted longer than his usual quick brush, something more like a caress as he scent marked me. When he pulled away he didn't look the least bit bashful about the action. I was just happy that scrubbing myself raw in the shower seemed to have taken out all of Rosie and Foster's scents.

"We have burgers tonight for dinner," Em wore his expressions so plainly on his face. I watched the happiness morph to horror in a split second, "unless you're vegetarian...or vegan. Then we could make something else. Are you?"

Jackson's chuckle echoed from behind Em, "it would explain why she'd never taken us up on the offer for ice cream if she's vegan." Ever the alpha, he was unruffled by a change in plans and immediately offered a solution, "I know a few places nearby that would be happy to deliver if we need to order in."

the color drained from Em's face and he whispered, "Oh my god, are you vegan? I didn't even think to ask--"

"I'm not," I waived away his worries and was pleased to see the remnants of the nerves wipe clean off his face, "burgers sound wonderful."

"And maybe eclairs for something sweet afterward?" Jackson winked from just over Em's shoulder, "If you're up for it that is."

Give it a chance. The words echoed in my mind reminding me that despite everything this pack seemed to want me here...and I wanted to be here, "I think I might be."